The Provisional Government 1917 - 1918 Flashcards
Background of the PG
The origins of the Prov Govt can be dated to 1915. In that year, two-thirds of the Duma (mostly moderates) collaborated to form the Progressive Bloc. Aim was to create unity among different party members so that an agreed plan to manage Russia’s war effort could be implemented. Agreed a programme and were supported by the Union of Towns and the Union of Zemstva and the War Industries Committee, including laws such as civil rights for the Jews, a government responsible to the Duma,
Nicholas responded to this by suspending the Duma in August 1915.
February Revolution 1917
- Jan 1917, 150,000 demonstrated to commemorate 1905 Bloody Sunday
- 18 Feb – strike began at the Putilov steel works
- 19 Feb – bread rationing introduced
- 23 Feb – International Women’s Day Demonstrations, joined by Putilov steelworkers, who demanded bread
- 25 Feb – general strike spread through Petrograd – troops fired on the crowds
- 26 Feb – the Duma refused to disband when ordered to by the Tsar; troops joined the crowds; Rodzianko warned the Tsar, as did Guchkov
- 27 Feb – Petrograd Soviet set up; Provisional Duma Committee set up after the D2uma dissolved itself; Winter Palace seized, as well as many other govt buildings
- 1 Mar – Soviet Order No 1, claimed authority over all Russia troops
- 2 Mar – Prov Govt set up; Nicholas II abdicated
Abdication
Feb 1917, a series of strikes and demonstrations led to the fourth Duma dissolving itself
o By the end of the month, the Winter Palace and other govt buildings had been taken over by revolutionaries
o Chaos ensued until a Temporary Committee, created from leading figures in the last Dumas, and a Provisional Executive of the Soviet of Workers’ Deputies, cooperated to formulate a programme for order to be restored
· On 1 March, the tsar agreed to hand over authority to the Temporary Committee and on 2 March he abdicated
To what extent was the Provisional Government doomed to fail from the start?
Against arguments: Historians argue that the new govt was successful in achieving its main aim, which was the preparation for elections to a new Constituent Assembly – it was not so much the failings of the Provisional Government that led to the October Revolution, but the determination of the Bolsheviks
To what extent was the Provisional Government doomed to fail from the start? P.II
For: Some historians believe that the Provisional Govt was doomed from the start but did not help itself by making poor decisions
Main members of the PG
- Prince G.E. Lvov (PM and interior minister) – ex-chairman of Union of Zemstva and leader of the Progressive Bloc; deeply religious and freemason
- P.N. Miliukov (Foreign Minister) – member of the intelligentsia and founder of the Kadets (1905) – well known critic of the Tsar
- A.I. Guchkov (Minster for war and navy) – wealthy industrialist and founder of the Octobrists (1905). Well known for work as chairman of the War Industry committee (1915) respectful of tsarism but a critic of Nicholas II; tried to replace Nicholas with Grand Duke Michael; freemason
- A.F. Kerensky (Justice Minister) – member of intelligentsia and SRs – well known for oratory when dealing with legal issues; father had been Lenin’s headmaster; freemason
Which was more powerful – the Provisional Government or the Soviet?
On 2 March, a Provisional Government was declared, made up largely of leading figures of the various liberal parties, chosen by a committee of the Duma – it had not been elected by the people. Dominated by Kadets and their leader, Miliukov, who became Foreign Minister
· One socialist, Alexander Kerensky, who became Minister of Justice – soon became a major player
· New PM, Prince Lvov, was a strange choice, but a popular one - he headed the Union of Zemstva, praised for work on the frontline.
Job of Provisional Government was to run Russia until elections to a Constituent Assembly could take place.
Which was more powerful – the Provisional Government or the Soviet?
Another important body was taking shape in the same building in which the Prov Govt were meeting (the Tauride Palace) – the Petrograd Soviet (formed on Monday 27 Feb).
Idea for this came from Menshevik intellectuals and quickly became the focus for working-class aspirations
Factories were asked to elect delegates to attend a full meeting of the Soviet.
When it met, an Executive Committee was chosen, dominated by Mensheviks and non-party socialist intellectuals – first chairman of the Executive Committee was a leading Menshevik, Chkheidz.
Soldiers were also keen to protect their interests – on Wednesday 1 March, they went to the Soviet and demanded representation - it was now called the Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies.
By 3 March it had 1300 members; a week later it had 3000, of whom only 800 were workers – the rest represented various army units. Huge numbers did not make decision-making easy which is why they chose an Executive Committee.
Alexander Kerensky was a member of both bodies and provided the main line of communication between the two.
Order No.1
It gave the soldiers representation but also gave their committees control of all weapons
- It stated that soldiers would only obey the orders of the Provisional Government if the Soviet agreed – dual power.
- The Provisional Government was the popularly accepted – if unelected – government, but the real power lay with the Soviet.
- Order No 1 showed the distrust of the PG felt by many workers and soldiers from the very start.
Power of the Soviet
· The policy of the Soviet was to keep its distance from the middle-class Provisional Govt, to act as a sort of watchdog ensuring it did nothing to harm the interests of the working class. It decided not to participate directly in government, with the exception of Alexander Kerensky, who was vice-chairman of the Soviet and Minister of Justice.
- Soviet controlled railways, soldiers in the Petrograd garrison, the telegraph station, factories and power supplies through its soldier and worker representatives
- Prov Govt could not move around or send a message without the Soviet’s knowing
- The Soviet could determine which factories stayed open and which services, such as electricity, would be provided
